CircuitLab vs PowerWorld Simulator
CircuitLab
circuitlab.comPowerWorld Simulator
powerworld.comSide by side
| Figure | CircuitLab | PowerWorld Simulator |
|---|---|---|
| Price from | $2/mo | Free |
| Free plan | — | Yes |
| Free trial | — | Yes |
| Open source | — | — |
| Web | Yes | — |
| Windows | Yes | Yes |
| macOS | Yes | — |
| Linux | Yes | — |
| Plans published | 9 | 2 |
| Spec score · Electrical Design Software | 8.2 (#7) | 7.9 (#16) |
| Integrations | The feature list says users can import SPICE device models and use CSV files as signal sources. | The SimAuto add-on lets users extend Simulator functionality from an external program they write. |
| Purpose | CircuitLab provides in-browser tools for schematic capture and circuit simulation for students, hobbyists, and professional engineers. | Simulator interactively simulates high-voltage power system operation over periods from several minutes to several days. |
| Support | CircuitLab directs users to online documentation and community support forums; Enterprise support is listed with a response within 24 hours. | The company lists technical support by email and says license maintenance includes customer support, upgrades, and software patches. |
Plans
CircuitLab
- CircuitLab Hacker Lite$16 a month
- CircuitLab Micro$24 a year
- CircuitLab Hacker$26 a month
- CircuitLab Pro$39 a month
- CircuitLab Hacker Lite$79 a year
- CircuitLab Hacker$129 a year
- CircuitLab Pro$399 a year
- CircuitLab Student Edition$2,400 a year
- CircuitLab EnterprisePriced on request
PowerWorld Simulator
- Simulator evaluation versionFree
- Simulator base package (first commercial license)$11,000, paid once
In their own words
CircuitLab
CircuitLab provides in-browser tools for schematic capture and circuit simulation for students, hobbyists, and professional engineers. It supports analog, digital, and mixed-mode simulation, plus frequency-domain analysis and parameter sweeps. Users can import SPICE device models and use CSV files as signal sources. Schematics can be exported as PDF, PNG, EPS, or SVG, and unique circuit URLs make it possible to share designs or ask for help.
CircuitLab runs on Windows, Mac OS X, and Linux and works in a browser on iPad. Its membership information also describes offline access through the Chrome Web Store and SSL-encrypted access. It offers a free plan and paid subscriptions, including Micro at $24 a year, Hacker Lite at $16 a month, Hacker at $26 a month, and Pro at $39 a month. The pricing note lists a starting rate of $2/mo (annual). Commercial use is permitted with Pro and Enterprise subscriptions; otherwise, the terms describe use as personal and non-commercial unless otherwise specified. Support includes online documentation and community forums.
PowerWorld Simulator
PowerWorld Simulator is desktop software for interactively simulating high-voltage power-system operation over periods from minutes to days. Its full package solves power-flow systems of up to 250,000 buses. The base package provides contingency analysis with automatic batch processing, full power-flow or fast linearized analysis, and result views organized by contingency or impacted facility. Visualization includes animated diagrams, automatic diagram creation and modification, contoured displays, and a model explorer. Optional add-ons cover ATC, OPF, SCOPF, reserves optimization, SimAuto, transient stability, GIC, and integrated topology processing. SimAuto allows an external program to extend Simulator. The product lists industry-standard file-format compatibility and GIS support. It runs on 64-bit Microsoft Windows 7/Server 2008 R2 and newer; no other operating systems are supported. A free evaluation version is limited to 13 buses. The first commercial base-package license costs $11,000 as a one-time purchase and includes one year of upgrades and support.